


Misty Taste Of Moonshine

by Lula_Landry



Category: Logan Lucky (2017), Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Blow Jobs, Christmas, Christmas Eve, Christmas Miracles, Clyde Logan's Prosthetic Arm, Cunnilingus, Curses, Dominant Kylo Ren, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Falling In Love, Family Feels, Family Secrets, First Crush, First Love, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Military Backstory, Older Man/Younger Woman, Plot Twists, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Robbery, Smut, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-14
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:48:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28062684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lula_Landry/pseuds/Lula_Landry
Summary: Ben is the middle child of three Solo siblings, a family that has its own unique and chequered past. In fact, Ben sincerely believes anyone with Solo blood is cursed, doomed to an unhappy end. Despite this, his family have recently come into an incredible windfall and life has never been better. As far as Ben is concerned, that can only mean one thing: he’s a man living on the edge, waiting for the other shoe to fall. And then it does… and she is not what he expected. Rey Jackson might prove to be the curse breaker Ben’s been looking for his whole life, or the fulfilment of every dark jinx he’s conjured up in his fevered imagination.- A Christmas Reylo fic set in the world of Steven Soderbergh’sLogan Luckybecause Adam Driver’s southern accent is stupefying.
Relationships: Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 12
Kudos: 85





	1. Almost Heaven, West Virginia

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE NOTE: In this fic, Ben Solo is based on the character of Clyde Logan as played by Adam Driver in the movie _Logan Lucky_. Clyde is a former Marine who lost his left hand in an IED attack while stationed in Iraq. If this is something that triggers you, please do not read this fic. I have tried to be respectful of men and women who are differently abled. Ben’s thoughts on the subject do not come from my imagination, but rather are direct quotes from the movie or from interviews with real people.

It was Christmas week and Ben Solo wanted nothing more than to escape his family.

“I’m taking you to Maz’s.”

He glared mutinously at his older brother Poe. If they were headed to Maz’s Diner, it meant he was gonna get another talking to and Ben sure wasn’t in the mood. Still, he’d get a free breakfast out of it and Maz knew how to burn the bacon just the way he liked.

They drove there separately, both of them in brand new pick-up trucks, a sight that had already caused a stir in their neighbourhood. It used to be that the Solo boys were too poor to even pay attention, but somehow they’d become flush with cash. Ben and Poe made sure to park far apart so their gleaming grills were less conspicuous, but stopping tongues from wagging in their small town was like putting out a forest fire with a bucket.

It was late Saturday morning and Maz’s Diner was overflowing with brunching families, but Maz always made room for the Solos. They’d been her neighbours for years, until their mama got sick and passed away, forcing them to sell the family home before it was repossessed by the bank. As teenagers they’d helped Maz clear her backyard, mow the lawn or clean out the gutters in exchange for some of the best meals to be found below the Mason-Dixon line. 

Maz never married, always declaring she didn’t need a man. What she did do was foster a bunch of kids, most of whom only hung around until the state could settle them elsewhere. Ben suspected the children Maz kept were the real problem cases. 

One of her girls, Jessika Pava, worked with Maz in the diner, seating people and taking payment while Maz did most of the cooking behind a red laminate counter. Some fifteen years ago when they were still in high school, Jess had been Ben’s girlfriend, but that connection was now a faded memory.

Two tours in Iraq had driven a permanent wedge between Ben and most of the women in his acquaintance. He couldn’t seem to rustle up the energy to court a young lady no more, and they didn’t want to look past his quiet demeanour. Ben had never been much of a talker and joining the Marines only deepened his introspection. It didn’t bother him too much so long as he had his books to keep him company.

“I’ll get you a table,” Jess said, shooting Poe a brief smile and forcing her usual grimace for Ben.

She was still as pretty as a picture with honey blonde curls and summer sky blue eyes, though the amount of makeup she wore steadily increased with each passing year she didn’t marry.

Jess was as good as her word and they were soon scooching their butts into a vinyl booth, Ben struggling a little since he was built like a sasquatch with broad shoulders and long legs, and Poe because he’d been steadily putting on the pounds ever since he busted his knee. 

Ben’s prosthetic left hand snagged a loop of silver tinsel that went around the back of their seats and Poe waited patiently as he untangled himself. It was the one good thing about his brother- Poe had known straight away that Ben didn’t want him falling all over himself doing things for Ben. Given time and practice, he could manage just fine by himself. 

“I haven’t seen you much,” Poe said, fingers drumming against the slightly sticky tabletop, making the miniature Christmas tree centrepiece rock. 

“I’ve been running all over hell’s half acre tending to the bar,” Ben responded. “You know winter’s drinking season.”

Ben purchased the Duck Tape Bar and Grill almost two years ago, back when it was known as Clyde’s Place. Repayments on the loan were problematic at first, but his financial situation had recently experienced a shift. He now owned the bar outright. He’d even secured himself a house on a five acre block not far outside town, a mere ten minute drive if he chose to speed, which he almost never did.

Ben wasn’t a believer in many things, but he did believe in the Solo family curse. Speeding in his new truck was simply tempting fate. 

“I know you’re working, Ben,” Poe said, rubbing the back of his neck. “I visit with you most evenings, don’t I? What I mean is we haven’t talked in a while. Kaydel’s been worried about you too.”

Ben frowned at this mention of their baby sister. Kaydel was as pretty as a pumpkin but not nearly half as smart. As if to prove that point she’d recently taken up with Armitage Hux, ex-convict and all round no good shyster. If there was any mischief to be done, Hux was not far behind in doing it. 

Before Poe could say anything else, their waitress walked up to the table, pencil and pad in hand. The brothers looked at the newcomer in surprise.

“And who might you be, little darlin’?” Poe asked, unable to help himself. 

Poe and Dr Rose Tico had recently started seeing each other and the last Ben heard things were getting pretty serious. Despite this, Poe’s natural state of being when it came to women was flirtatious.

The girl flushed pink, her gaze on Ben as she replied, “I’m sure you boys don’t remember me but I’m Rey Jackson, one of Maz’s foster kids.” 

Ben sat up straight, shocked into speaking out loud. “Rey-rey, that you?”

Pink turned to crimson as she nodded.

On his part, Poe looked amazed that any girl would pay more attention to Ben than himself. He’d long been the town Casanova, his potential career as a ballplayer like gravy on top of his good looks, but then his knee had blown out during a game, putting paid to the athletic scholarship he’d acquired. The Solo family curse struck again.

“Come on, girl, of course I remember you. We used to sit on Maz’s itty bitty porch sipping colas and eating moon pies.” It was the most Ben had spoken to anyone who wasn’t a customer at his bar in months and he saw his brother take notice. “Are you home for good?”

“Just for the holidays,” Rey said, cheeks still glowing.

Ben realised her southern twang had receded somewhat and he wondered where she’d been the last few years. 

The little girl he’d known was all grown up, her tousled mop of hair worn in three sleek chestnut red buns, her little body filled out, still thin but unmistakeably female, her soft pink sweater clinging to high, tight breasts, her pink, black and white plaid skirt hugging the curve of slight hips, shapely legs revealed by white tights, ending in light grey fur-lined boots. She wore a forest green apron over her ensemble, made more festive by a reindeer pin with a blinking red nose.

Rey Jackson… holy Moses. When he’d been a sixteen-year-old horndog trying to get Jessika naked whatever the cost, Rey was only seven or eight, a skinny, freckled little thing with big eyes and a wide smile who’d follow him around like a puppy. Golden freckles still dotted the bridge of her nose, her complexion tan despite the fact they were in the midst of winter. Her big eyes were beautiful, shining more green than brown with long, sleek lashes. She wore no makeup though her lips were pink with gloss.

As memories flooded his mind, Ben wondered what was making her blush so hard. He lifted his gleaming black prosthetic hand so that it rested on the table. Her eyes flickered from his face to it and back again, and Ben waited for the inevitable questions. It was better to get it out of the way.

People couldn’t seem to help themselves, always asking for the cause of his injury, as if he wanted to relive the most traumatic moment in his life over and over again. Not that Ben minded entirely, he was happy enough to educate folk about his situation so long as they treated him like a human being and not a Google search bar. The worst was when someone called him a hero, as if losing his hand made him something more than who he was. He was just a soldier who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

To Ben’s surprise, Rey said nothing about his injury. Poe ordered two breakfast specials, one with extra crispy bacon, and she disappeared to notify the kitchen.

“It’s a Christmas miracle,” Poe declared once they were alone again.

Ben rolled his eyes. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“I haven’t seen you this interested in a female since before you left for Iraq,” his brother grinned.

Ben considered this for a while, the sound of crying kids and frustrated parents all around them. “She didn’t say nothin’ about my hand.”

“So what?” Poe demanded. “Why does that have to be a bad thing?”

“Probably freaked out by it,” Ben mumbled, tucking his heart back in a box where it belonged.

“There you go again,” Poe grumbled. “Land sakes, Ben, all you’ve done since you’ve come home is pour drinks at that bar of yours and isolate yourself at home. You need to open up some more, get yourself a girlfriend or three.”

Ben fidgeted in his seat, unhappy with the direction Poe was taking the conversation. “I’m doing alright. Heck, I’m doing the best I have in years. This bionic hand you got me is amazing.” And it was. Ben remembered the bulky artificial limb he’d been given by Veterans Affairs that looked like a mannequin hand and was only able to hold something in a frozen position. His new prosthetic arm was bespoke, crafted exactly for him, with a series of intuitive grips and an all day battery. It was both expensive and revolutionary. “The bar’s paid for, I have a new truck and Amazon can’t hardly keep up with my book orders. I haven’t been this content in ages.”

“Kaydel told me you don’t wanna do Christmas day lunch,” Poe said, dropping the comment like a grenade.

Ben sighed. So that’s why Poe was concerned. “And?”

“And? And? Ben, it’s freakin’ Christmas. Tis the season to be jolly and all that.”

“Zorii’s hosting the party,” Ben snapped. “Your ex-wife. I don’t particularly want to hang around in that toxic atmosphere.”

“Aw, she’s not so bad,” Poe said unconvincingly. “We all know she married Lando for the money, but he’s settled her somewhat. Been over a month since Zorii pitched a hissy fit over something I’ve done. And you know it’s really Leia we’re going for. She’s gonna be asking for her Uncle Ben, and then what am I supposed to say?”

Ben thought of his spunky little niece with her blonde pigtails and strident voice. She’d inherited more from her grandmother than just her name. Ben always suspected the ten-year-old had greater wisdom than all her elders combined. 

“She won’t miss me.” 

“Come on, Ben, Christmas is time for family. You’ve never been this closed off. What’s really going on?” 

Just then, Rey pulled up with two massive platters filled almost to the overflowing with fried eggs, crispy bacon, triangles of toast, golden biscuits with white gravy, hash browns, sweet milk waffles and fried green tomatoes. There were jars of maple syrup and jam on the table, and she also set down a little dish of butter.

“Looks amazing,” Poe said sincerely.

“Sure does,” Ben murmured, his gaze on Rey’s delicate face and was pleased to see her blush once more. 

She scurried away and he ignored Poe’s curious look. Ben bit into a piece of bacon, feeling its salty goodness crack against his teeth. Perfect. 

Poe dug in and it was only once he was mopping up creamy yolk with a piece of buttered toast that he said, “I’m still waiting.”

Ben swallowed a mouthful of biscuit and gravy, taking his time to reply cause he knew what the reaction would be. “It’s the Solo family curse,” he finally admitted. Poe groaned loudly and Ben hustled to add, “You know it’s for real. You blew your knee the day before you were about to leave for college and a roadside mine takes my hand just as the train’s pulling out. When you gonna admit this kind of thing don’t happen to normal folk?”

“Folktales and backward talk,” Poe snapped.

“I’ve been uncovering a lot,” Ben continued, ignoring his comment. “Did you know Aunt Beru won the lotto but then lost it all a month later? And remember how Pawpaw Skywalker’s diamond got stolen? What about Uncle Luke’s electrocution? And mama getting sick after daddy’s settlement. There was also the roof collapse.”

“Ben!” Poe growled, drawing the attention of the table closest to them. “Enough, okay? Knowing the proclivity for tall tales our acclaimed relatives hold as true, I can’t believe you’d recite that rubbish as if it were gospel. Besides, if we’re so cursed then how in the sam hell…” here his brother paused, looked around and lowered his voice, “…did we manage to get the job done?”

The job. That was the crux of the matter, wasn’t it? Ben knew it was the real reason why he’d become so paranoid. 

Some six months ago Ben, Poe, Kaydel, Hux and a couple of Hux’s less savoury cousins had done a job, as Poe liked to describe it, robbing the Charlotte Motor Speedway, official home to NASCAR.

It was Poe’s plan, as always, and it had worked a treat. While working his construction job clearing the tunnels beneath the track, his brother discovered that money was being moved on race days through a series of pneumatic tubes. Quite simply, they blew up the pipes with Hux’s help and hustled out garbage bags full of uncounted cash. 

The moment of true genius came when Poe ditched the trucks with the cash on the side of the road. The cops were called in and returned the money to the Speedway authorities, thus ending any real urgency to find the perpetrators. The robbers were labelled a bunch of redneck fools and life went on as usual. 

Hux was furious at first, until Poe came clean that he’d only returned _some_ cash. Since the money had never been counted, the men and women at Charlotte Motor Speedway had no way of knowing they’d only been given back a fraction of what was taken. 

Poe was able to buy a house near his ex-wife and new husband so he could remain in little Leia’s life, Kaydel hired out a storefront with her portion and now ran her own hair and beauty salon instead of working for someone else, Hux gussied up his old homestead with a state-of-the-art entertainment system, and Ben… well he was living like a pig in clover. But that was the whole problem.

“Don’t you see,” he hissed, “the curse needs satisfying. We’re all too happy and successful, which means something bad’s fixing to happen. I’m just trying to keep us safe.” 

“By turning into a hermit?” Poe demanded.

“I work.”

“That’s no kinda life for anyone, little brother,” Poe replied. “Work alone makes Jack a dull boy.”

Ben blinked. “I think that’s ‘all work and no play’…”

“You know what I mean!”

“Um, Ben?” Rey had reappeared, a plate in her hands. “Am I interrupting something? Should I come back later?”

“No, sweetheart,” Ben said, instantly reassuring. Poe was right- he was behaving strangely.

She looked unsure but placed the dish on the table. “I remembered you had a thing for Maz’s cherry pie and thought I’d save you the last slice, no extra charge.” 

Beside him, Poe’s jaw dropped open. 

“Well, aren’t you sweet,” Ben murmured, his libido waking up for the first time in months.

“That she is,” another voice trilled, “as sweet as that there pie.” 

Jessika had showed up as well, an odd look on her face. 

“Did you need me for something?” Rey asked her foster sister.

“Don’t you boys just love the way little Rey-rey talks now?” Jess drawled. “All sophisticated like.”

Rey stiffened where she stood.

“I mean, she sounds like one of those city folk who has her nose so high up in the air she could drown in a rainstorm.”

“What’s your problem, Jess?” Rey snapped, hands clenching into fists. “Who licked the red off your candy?”

Ben exchanged a look with Poe who grinned subtly. He wondered just how entertaining their dining experience was about to get.

“Now don’t you get sassy with me, Rey-rey,” Jess said, a pleased smile stretching candy apple lips. “I’m just pickin’ with you. Poking a little fun at yourself shows a person has humility.”

“Except it wasn’t yourself you were poking fun at, was it?” Rey muttered. Clearly deciding to ignore the burr in her saddle, she turned back to the Solo boys. “Was there anything else you needed or just the cheque?”

“Oh, no cheque for this table, no siree,” Jessika crooned, leaning over to display a substantial amount of cleavage considering she was in a winter sweater. “After all Ben’s done for our country, he eats free.” Jess looked expectantly at him, batting thickly mascaraed lashes. 

“Um, thanks?” Ben offered, unsure exactly where this sudden generosity was coming from.

“Anytime, lover. You know my number.” Jess dropped him a wink before sashaying away, and Ben knew he wasn’t the only one watching her peachy derriere in those skintight blue jeans.

Ben jerked his gaze from Jess’ hourglass form and glanced guiltily at Rey but she’d already left, her little lips turned down. She looked sad enough that he wanted to pick her up and hold her, just like old times.

“What the heck was that about?” Poe asked, looking astounded.

“Damned if I know,” Ben muttered, though he had a sneaking suspicion of the truth. 

Problem was he couldn’t tell if this was the trouble he’d told himself to watch out for.


	2. Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River

Rey Jackson stood in the corner of Maz’s diner worrying her lower lip with her teeth. She caught herself doing it and tried to stop. It was an old childhood habit she thought she’d broken a long time ago, but here she was returning to it like a duck took to water.

What was wrong with her? She’d driven home with one very specific purpose in mind, and instead she was acting like a googly eyed little girl all because she’d come face to face with Ben Solo.

But Lord almighty, the man was gorgeous. Growing up, most girls in town preferred his older brother to Ben. Poe had those smouldering dark eyes and chiselled cheekbones, and it didn’t hurt none that he was Valley View High School’s star athlete. As for her, she’d always loved Ben.

 _Liked_. Liked Ben. 

Seriously- she was losing her mind.

Her crush on the older boy started the day she arrived at Maz’s cosy little house. There were three foster kids under Maz’s roof at the time, and the other two- one of whom was Jess- were teenagers. Rey was sent outside to play, which she’d done happily enough. She lived in a trailer park with her Uncle Unkar, so a grassy backyard was a thing of wonder to her little mind. She spent her first afternoon running around, building makeshift fairy houses with twigs and chasing butterflies that fluttered past her on a breeze. 

While participating in an imaginary footrace with a rabbit, she fell on the narrow gravel pathway. Rey rolled on the ground, grabbing her knees. They were a mess, streaming with blood and embedded with sharp little stones. The horror of it took her breath away and her eyes filled with tears, but she didn’t cry. Uncle Unkar taught her long ago that it was no use crying over anything- no one cared about her anyway.

And then he was there, a tall, lanky, monster of a boy with long legs and a wide chest, his black hair falling into his eyes, his hands as big as baseball mitts. He’d vaulted over the white picket fence that separated Maz’s property from his. Rey cringed, protecting herself from the intruder, but he didn’t even notice her reaction.

“What did you do to yourself, silly baby?” he asked, bending over and scooping her into his arms as if she weighed no more than a feather. 

She said nothing, clutching hard at boyish biceps, staring at him with wide, watery eyes. 

“This is why you’re supposed to play on the grass,” he scolded, except the sentence seemed to go on forever, his voice pitched surprisingly low, his accent a slow, syrupy drawl that turned her spine into an overcooked noodle. 

He walked her over to the garden hose sitting curled up under a bush and turned on the tap. Rey’s tears fell as he washed the blood from her knees and picked shrapnel out of her wounds with gentle fingers. At last, her skin was free of debris though still as raw as hamburger meat, and Ben had wiped her cheeks with the corner of his t-shirt. He smelled like a boy should, lemony body spray and sweat and musk combined, sending her brain into a tailspin. 

“Didn’t even make a peep,” he said in wonder. “You’re a brave one.”

No one had called her brave before and Rey almost burst with happiness. And then he kissed the top of her head and she knew she wanted nothing more than for this boy to always pay attention to her.

Later she found out about Kaydel, Ben’s little sister, the reason why he’d been so comfortable tending to her scrapes in the first place. Initially, Rey envied Kaydel a big brother like Ben, but then he started dating Jessika and she experienced jealousy so pure it almost turned her eyes green. She didn’t want Ben Solo to be her brother- she wanted so much more.

Even back then Jess hadn’t liked it when eight-year-old Rey jockeyed for Ben’s attention. Rey suspected her crush kept Jess hanging around Ben longer than the blonde wanted. Jess may not have desired Ben anymore, but neither was she willing to hand him over to anyone else, even if that someone else was several feet shorter and still wore her hair in pigtails.

Ben discovered Rey liked to read as much as he did and that created an unexpected bond of which she took full advantage. About once a week, Rey would slither up the tree in the Solo’s backyard and climb into Ben’s bedroom, begging for a story. He read her chapters from Tolkien and C.S. Lewis, Roald Dahl and Lewis Carroll. Her copy of _Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland_ came from Ben; he said she could have it since he’d moved on to other authors.

Rey recalled falling asleep in a hammock beside Ben’s rangy form. She’d woken up an hour later to find him snoring lightly, _The Hobbit_ having slipped from his fingers and fallen onto the dusty porch, one big arm draped over her skinny waist. She stared hard at his face, mere inches away from her own, the dark brows and thickly tangled lashes, his wide cheekbones and dominant nose, his sticky out ears and strong jawline. His mouth, the colour of a maple leaf in fall, was wide and full and made her feel tingly on the inside.

“I’m gonna marry you some day,” she told him, nearly falling off the hammock the next second when his amber eyes fluttered open.

Rey wasn’t sure if he’d heard her, but she still squirmed on the inside at the thought. The moments she stole with Ben were some of the best of her childhood, imbued with the kind of magic that only fiction and friendship could create. Two years later he was gone, training to become a Marine and getting shipped off to Iraq. She’d cried soundlessly in the night, clutching the tattered Alice book like a talisman, praying he’d come home to her.

Except when he did come home, Rey was no longer there. Maz would have kept her, she knew, but thanks to a series of tests the government found out Rey had an extraordinarily high IQ. She was sent to boarding school where she earned a full scholarship to an Ivy League college, eventually graduating first in class. She was now working her way up the ladder in her chosen profession.

When she accepted Maz’s invitation to spend Christmas week with her and Jess, Rey had known there was a high probability she would see Ben, but she hadn’t expected to react to him with quite so much adolescent confusion. Nor had she anticipated Jessika would behave like a grade A bitch and mock her in front of the Solo brothers. Not to mention Rey hadn’t been able to think of anything to say to Ben about his missing arm.

 _Ugh,_ he must think she was a right fool. 

As she watched from her corner of the restaurant, Poe stood up and made a beeline for the restroom. Rey told herself to be brave like Ben had once said she was and walked quickly back to his booth, not even sure what she wanted to say.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he greeted her, his smile melting her insides.

As far as she was concerned, Ben had always been perfection, but he was even handsomer now. He’d filled out in the last several years, adding muscle and bulk to an already broad frame. His black hair was long enough to reach his shoulders and she wondered if the style was a reaction to the fact he was no longer in the military.

“Don’t call,” Rey blurted out, instantly wishing she hadn’t.

He frowned. “Say what now?”

She felt another blush radiate her cheeks until they could have been mistaken for tomatoes. “Don’t call Jess. She only came onto you to mess with me.”

Ben looked at her for a long moment and Rey felt her face burn even brighter.

“Okay,” he drawled, “but tell me something, sweetness, why would her flirting with me upset you?”

Good Lord, would the humiliation never end? “Because… because she knows I used to like you.”

He grinned wide enough that it created little dents in lean cheeks. “Baby girl, a blind man and his dog could’ve seen that you used to like me. The real question is how d’you like me now?”

She stared at Ben, this man who’d been her heart’s desire her entire childhood and struggled to reply. Because surely she didn’t like him that way anymore. Surely she’d moved on from wanting big, brawny guys with floppy hair who wore Bob Seger t-shirts. Surely she’d turned into the snobby cow Jess had insinuated and now longed for a man in a three piece suit with a savings account and a dental plan. 

She twisted and shuffled so long that Ben reached out and grabbed her, hooking two long fingers into the waistline of her skirt and drawing her close. Rey let out a whimper that sounded like a kitten’s mewl.

“What time d’you get off work?”

“Excuse me?” she gasped.

“What time does your shift end?” he repeated patiently.

“Maz needs me till three,” Rey told him, speaking the words like a dirty confession.

“Alright, then. I’ll be by to pick you up. Wait for me behind the diner.”

Rey could only nod at Ben in agreement, because who was she to deny the man of her dreams?

A few hours later she found herself standing in the snow, questioning her sanity until Ben’s truck pulled up beside her. She climbed into the passenger seat, a blast of warmth making her wriggle out of her hooded cream jacket almost immediately. She saw his amber eyes pay attention to her small breasts wrapped tight in a pink sweater and was unabashedly pleased. 

He drove with his real arm and the gleaming black bionic one and she made herself say something about it. “I- I’m sorry about your arm,” she told him. “I mean, I’m glad the rest of you is okay.” After which comment she groaned out loud. “I can’t believe I just said that. I’m so stupid.”

“It’s okay,” he laughed. “I’m glad the rest of me is still present and accounted for as well.”

“I didn’t mention it earlier ‘cause I was afraid I’d say the wrong thing,” she confessed. “Like I just did.”

He shrugged. “You’re a good girl, Rey. I can’t imagine you saying much wrong. And it’s not my arm that’s missing. See, I got two arms. I’m a transradial amputee, so it’s my lower forearm and hand that’s missing. I’m very lucky.”

She nodded, taking in his explanation. “I like your prosthetic. Is that alright to say?”

He grinned. “I like it too. I’m thinking of getting myself another one, even fancier. Better than a vacation.”

Even with her jacket on her lap, Rey was starting to sweat. It was warm enough in the truck that Ben only wore a t-shirt and jeans. Somewhere in the last few hours he’d lost his coat, sweater and scarf. 

“You truck has an excellent heater. Is it new?”

He nodded but, unlike most guys, refrained from bragging about it.

They drove in silence along snowy streets until it occurred to Rey she didn’t know where they were going. She almost asked but then realised she trusted this man, so why not go along for the ride? It was a relief not to be so hyper aware of her surroundings all the time.

It was a dangerous feeling, thinking she could rest in another’s presence, but that was what had been so seductive about Ben Solo. His innate goodness always shone through. And she didn’t mean he was a saint- he had that juvie record, though it was only because he’d been lookout on some stupid prank concocted by Poe- but there was a rightness to everything he did she hadn’t found in anyone else. Except Maz. 

Yup, she might be educated, but when it came to Ben she hadn’t got the sense that God gave a goose. 

He took a left and the road became less well travelled, filled with dips and ruts. They entered the forest and she smiled out the window, marvelling at towering spruces dusted with sparkling white snow. It was like being in fairyland. At last they came to a clearing and he parked the truck before a bubbling creek, the water appearing black in winter.

Rey waited but Ben didn’t speak, staring ahead as if he were still driving.

“It’s real pretty,” she offered, breaking the silence. Apart from the snap of snow weighted tree limbs and the babble of the creek, it was lovely and quiet. 

“I like this place,” he admitted.

“Ben,” Rey said hesitantly, not wanting to misread the situation, “why did you bring me here?”

He gave her an intense look that was so familiar. He was never much for smiling. “You were gone by the time I came home from the Marines.”

“You left me first,” she said, hating that she still sounded wounded by that fact.

“I got your letters.”

“You did?” Rey perked up. “Maz let me write you, but once they moved me to the academy I wasn’t allowed.”

“I wondered. I thought you’d forgotten me.”

“I would never!” she exclaimed, and to Rey’s horror tears stung the backs of her eyelids.

He reached out and patted her gently on the knee. “It’s not a bad thing, sweetheart. I’m glad you made a life for yourself away from here. You were destined for greater things.”

She shook her head. “What does that even mean?”

“Rey,” Ben said, so quietly the cascading creek nearly drowned him out, “are you happy?”

She looked at him, a little put out. Well, wasn’t that the question? “Are you?”

A ghost of a smile flickered across his delicious mouth. “You know, you weren’t old enough for me to kiss when I knew you back when.”

And that was how Rey ended up straddling Ben in his truck as a dark brook gurgled and frosted white firs shivered and new snow began to fall. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him like her life depended upon it, tongues dancing and teeth clicking, swapping spit and moaning with desire. She couldn’t control the needy sounds coming from her throat, her feelings so overwhelming it had to escape somehow. 

He drove them back to his place, parking awkwardly in front of a small house surrounded by a snowy field, still joined at the mouth as he led her to a polished oak front door. Rey stumbled inside with Ben, biting her lip when he slammed the door shut, barely getting a glimpse of his neat living room before he pulled off his t-shirt. 

Oh, he was gorgeous. She pressed herself against his bare chest, absorbing his warmth, hands cupping his jaw as she continued to kiss him. Rey never wanted to stop. Ben walked backwards towards his bedroom, taking her with him. She dropped her jacket on the floor, peeling off her gloves and hat as their tongues continued to dance, discarding those items as well.

At last they were in his bedroom and she shoved her purse onto a side table that held a reading lamp and five books, three of which had bookmarks. Her heart ached to realise some things hadn’t changed.

“Rey,” he said, and she froze where she stood, “I’m gonna take off my prosthetic. You okay with that?”

There was a vulnerability on his angular face that made her want to cry. “Yes,” she said, gulping back the emotions because she didn’t think tears were the right way to respond in this situation, and then stripped off the remainder of her clothes before he could even reach for the gleaming hand. 

“Woah,” Ben muttered, amber eyes curiously soft as he looked her up and down.

Rey blushed yet again. She was never this forward, usually waiting until the lights had been dimmed or the guy’s back was turned. 

“Look at you, sweetheart,” he murmured, and for the first time in her life she felt beautiful.

It was as if all her flaws had vanished and she was seeing herself through his eyes, his gaze lingering on uptilted breasts and rosy nipples, her flat stomach and small waist. She’d recently waxed the junction of her thighs since she thought she was heading to Hawaii on vacation until Maz rang and plans changed. Chestnut red curls had been tidied to form a narrow strip, pointing the way to a delicate pink slit that looked dewy with moisture.

She was on fire, so ready to be with this man. It was all she’d ever wanted since puberty hit.

Ben kicked off his shoes, pulling off his jeans and boxers. She felt a sudden qualm when she saw the size of him, already swollen and erect.

“Rey, we good?” he asked, pausing before a window, the cold winter sun reflecting off the snow and producing dazzling light, framing his hard body.

“You’re so big,” she gulped, feeling foolish.

He smirked. “You say the nicest things.”

She had to stop behaving like this was her first time, except it felt that way, all awkward and nerve-wracking just because she was with Ben. He pulled off his prosthetic, setting it on the table beside her purse and his collection of books and she told herself not to stare. She’d already gaped at his penis like it was something scary. 

This was awful. She was awful. She was ruining the moment with too many thoughts and too little grace. 

“Rey… if you want me to back off, I will.”

She gazed at him, struggling to comprehend the words because she was naked, and he was naked, and they were both naked together. She was naked in Ben Solo’s bedroom. Naked, naked, naked. 

He frowned when she didn’t reply and reached for his boxers.

“No, Ben, no,” she whimpered, and the ache in her voice made his jaw relax.

Keeping their eyes locked, amber and hazel, he stepped forward and swept his hand between her thighs, touching that soft, secret place of hers, so slick and warm he groaned. He dropped his mouth to her ear.

“You’re so beautiful.” Her hips bucked as he stroked her, his fingers light and slippery from her honey. “I want to be inside you, sweetheart. Right here. I want my cock surrounded by all this silky skin, held tight within you. Do you believe me, Rey? Tell me what I want to hear.”

“Yes,” she whispered, her voice all shaky.

“Say, ‘yes, Ben,’ like a good girl,” he murmured.

She about burst into flames. “Oh, yes, Ben.”

“You want me to fill you up, sweetheart?”

He rubbed a little deeper and she wriggled. “Yes, Ben…”

“You want me to come inside you?”

“Yes, Ben…”

“That’s my girl,” he purred, completely in command and clearly enjoying himself. “I want you too, Rey.” He nipped at her earlobe. “We’re gonna have so much fun.”

She almost climaxed where she stood, working her hips shamelessly so her sticky flesh rubbed against his hand, feeling an orgasm start to swell deep inside her core.

“Get on the bed and spread your legs far apart, Rey. Spread them wide, you hear me?”

“Yes, Ben,” she squeaked, scuttling to the bed as he licked his fingers clean, tasting her on his one hand.

As she complied, he rolled onto the bed beside her, latching on to the closest breast to suckle. Then he lifted his head, and moved down the flat plane of her stomach, past the dimple of her belly button, and the mouthwatering mound of creamy flesh, until he saw the graceful little slit of her sex.

Rey lifted her head to watch enthralled as his dark head drew close to the spot he’d just been caressing, pink, glistening and delicate.

“I want to taste you, baby.”

Her thighs melted, her breath strangling in her throat. “Yes, Ben,” she whimpered, and her words were a plea.

He pressed his mouth to the top of her cleft and she went totally rigid. He clasped the back of her knee and gently separated her a few more inches for himself. He kissed her strawberry slit softly, again and again until the tension eased out of her.

Then he opened his mouth and licked. She gasped and sat up.

“Ben?” As if checking to make sure he knew what he’d done.

He lightly traced up her slit with his tongue. “You taste so good, sweetheart.”

As he repeated the slow sweeps, the tip of his tongue along the seam of her sex, her head fell back, the peaks of her breasts rising and her spine curling. With a smile on his face he kept going, gradually dragging deeper and deeper until he got a real taste of her. More, she wanted more.

As he paused, she tilted her head up, glassy-eyed and breathless. “Are you done?”

He gave her a wicked smile. “We’re just getting started, sweetheart.”

He looked down at her secret place, seeing the high gloss on tender flesh. He kissed her again, then lollipopped her, flattening his tongue and trolling up nice and lazy. Then he swept his mouth from side to side, nuzzling in further, hearing her moan. With gentle pressure he opened her thighs more and latched on to her, drawing on her pink velvet core in a rhythmic suckling.

Rey lost control, quivering on Ben’s talented tongue, her world reduced to a single pinpoint of action. She started to thrash, unable to control her limbs, grabbing onto navy blue sheets and arching up like she was about to climax any second. She heard him chuckle smugly.

“Feel good, sweetheart?” He tickled the top of her cleft, flicking over the most sensitive part, stroking the swollen bud of her clit. “You like this? You like me tonguing you? Or maybe you like this…” He sucked her into his mouth and she cried out.

She watched him with wide eyes, parted lips, nipples tight. He was pushing her to the edge.

He gently bit down on the flesh of her inner thigh. “Do you want me, Rey?”

Her body undulated on the bed, panting hard.

“Say, ‘yes, Ben’,” he husked.

“Yes, Ben,” she gasped. He was driving her mad.

From out of nowhere, he split her wide and dove between her legs. As he fell upon her flesh, penetrating her with his tongue, finding a rhythm with his jaw, she was dimly aware of the high pitched sounds tumbling out of her mouth. The sounds of a woman unrestrained.

Rey had been taken aback by the scary vulnerability of his going down on her, but soon none of that mattered. Ben’s warm tongue was so erotic she could hardly bear the slick, slippery sensation, nor could she stand the idea that he’d ever stop what he was doing. Then he started suckling on her clit, sucking and swallowing and making her sex swell until the pleasure crested like pain.

She orgasmed wildly, the most shattering, ecstatic thing she’d ever felt, her body melting in a cascade of liquid golden pleasure that gilded her brain, her cries filling his room, shameless and incomprehensible. At the end of it all she lay boneless on his bed, quite certain no man had ever treated her body so well.

Ben moved up her form on his elbows, the breadth of him completely covering her, his impressive pecs dragging over soft breasts. He looked pleased with himself and she giggled, awareness intruding on the drowsy aftermath of her orgasm.

“Condom?” he asked.

She shook her head. “You don’t have to. I’m on the pill and I’m clean. I haven’t been with a guy in almost a year.” And Rey felt another blush heat her cheeks as the confession tumbled out of her.

Would she ever stop embarrassing herself in front of this man?

But he only nodded, as if it was as it should be. “It’s a damn shame no one’s been sexing your beautiful body, sweetheart, but it’s been a long time for me too.”

He kissed her with all the passion that had been missing from her life, reducing her to a mewling kitten once more, and just when she thought she’d have to beg him for his manhood, he thrust the meaty organ deep inside her. He came quickly the first time, his body growing rigid as he spilled his seed within her clasping sheathe, and she would have been disappointed except he stayed hard. 

The second time round he pounded her for what felt like an hour, grunting and groaning about how amazing she felt as he pumped his swollen tool in and out of her wet little portal. Rey shuddered and climaxed around him twice before Ben peaked, depositing thick splashes of creamy seed deep within. 

The sun was setting by the time they exhausted themselves, twilight filling the room with lavender light. Just like she used to when they were kids, she curled up inside his arms, laying her head on his chest. 

Even though she’d done the worst thing possible by sleeping with Ben Solo, Rey had never felt happier.


	3. Country Roads, Take Me Home

Ben woke up to the face of an angel bathed in starlight. 

The sun had set and the sky was dark, a perfect canvas for a glittering backdrop, the moon gleaming like a newly minted coin. Rey slept with her head pillowed on his bicep, uncaring that the arm ended in a stump instead of a hand.

Poe had been right after all- Rey didn’t seem to mind that he was an amputee. 

He heard buzzing and frowned. In the gloom of his bedroom, he could see Rey’s handbag lighting up. Probably her phone. There might be folks waiting on her to show up somewhere for dinner and instead here she was, snuggled up to him like a bedbug.

“Rey,” he murmured, jiggling his arm to shake her awake.

She scrunched her face adorably, reminding him of the little girl she used to be.

He kissed her, soft at first, and then slipping her his tongue when her lips quivered and parted. He passionately consumed her mouth, feeling her hand curl around his head, her fingers tangling in his hair. His sex began to swell but he was determined to do the right thing.

“Your phone’s buzzing,” he said, reluctantly ending the kiss.

“Hm?” she murmured with a sleepy smile.

Ben chuckled, sitting up to reach for her bag. It was as if that one action shot adrenaline into Rey’s veins and she reacted like a cat on a hot tin roof, diving for her handbag before he could lay a hand on it. She ended up knocking it over, sending the contents all over his floor along with his prosthetic.

“I’m so sorry!” she gasped, rolling out of bed to quickly pick up her things and shove them back in the bag.

Ben shrugged, reaching for his hand and placing it on the table. He wanted a shower before he put it on. 

“You got everything?” he asked. He saw some of what she was pushing into her bag and frowned. “That’s a big gun for a little girl.”

“Um, yeah,” she said, head down, eyes focused on her mobile phone. “I figure it’s better than pepper spray.”

Ben was used to women packing heat- it was almost religion where he was from- but it surprised him to find Rey with a gun. Maybe because some part of him still saw her as that little girl in pigtails with scraped knees.

Considering he’d just had sex with her, he probably needed to revise his opinion.

“It’s Maz,” Rey said, still on her feet. “I’ll give her a quick call, let her know I’m okay.”

“Sure,” Ben replied amiably. “I’m gonna have a shower and if you want, we can talk about dinner after.”

She smiled distractedly.

The hot shower felt good and he handed Rey a towel as she slipped into the bathroom after him. Ben got dressed and made his way to the kitchen, pulling out the toaster and sliding in a couple of pieces of rye bread. He didn’t think Rey would stick around for much longer and told himself that was okay. She’d said she was just visiting. It wasn’t like they had any chance at making it work long term.

Still, it had done him a world of good being with a woman who wanted him so unequivocally. That was no pity fuck. She’d been eager to please, hungry for his touch. Little Rey- who’da thunk it?

He was on his second slice of peanut butter on toast when she reappeared, feet bare and hair damp, wearing her little plaid miniskirt without the tights, her silky camisole outlining the juicy nubs of her pert breasts. He instantly regretted not trying for a second round in bed.

“You’ve already eaten,” she said, sounding surprised. 

“This?” he replied, polishing of his second piece. “Just a snack.”

“Actually, that looks really good,” she said with a shy smile. “Could I have some?”

“We had quite a workout,” he smirked, popping more slices into the toaster.

She blushed, sitting down at his circular dining table. “I like your place. It looks new.”

“It is,” he conceded, moving the jar of peanut butter to the table along with a butter knife. “Bought the land and hired a guy to build me a house. You’ve pretty much seen all of it.”

“Didn’t you want a bigger place?” she asked as the toaster pinged and he brought over golden brown slices.

“Naw, if family visit they can always stay with Kaydel or Poe.”

Ben watched as Rey smeared a piece with peanut butter, making sure it reached the edges before biting down.

“Coffee?”

“Please,” she nodded.

He’d set the pot brewing and poured them each a cup. “I know it looks odd, this little house in the middle of all this land, but I prefer it that way. I want to see what’s coming.” It had been his predisposition since returning from Iraq, part of the reason why being a bartender worked. The space behind the bar was his alone; no one could sneak up on him. 

She glanced at him as she blew on her steaming hot mug. “Your business must be doing real well for you to have all this.” 

“What do you know about my business?” Ben asked mildly.

“Maz keeps me updated. She told me all about the Duck Tape Bar.” She grinned. “I like the name, by the way.”

“Words have always been a friend,” he acknowledged. Rey seemed to be slowing down on her second slice, so Ben took a third. “What do you do? Maz mentioned you earned a degree in psychology.”

She looked down at her hands. “I ended up in a government office.” 

“Really?”

“Speaking of Maz, she was pretty excited when she found out I was with you,” Rey said, changing the subject.

Ben raised his eyebrows. “Oh?”

“What’s that look for?”

“I can’t believe you told her.”

“It’s not like I gave her the grizzly details!”

“Yeah, but still… Maz was born at night, but she wasn’t born last night.”

“Her exact response was, ‘well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit’.”

Rey gazed impishly at Ben and the next second they both howled with laughter. 

“That old bird always did have a way with words,” he snorted, wiping his eyes.

“Maz is partial to you,” she murmured. “You were the only boyfriend she encouraged Jess to keep.”

There was an awkward silence.

“Rey, you do know that Jess and I haven’t even talked much less been romantic these last few years. Even when we were dating in high school, she could be meaner than a wet panther.”

Rey gave a reluctant giggle. “You don’t owe me an explanation, Ben. It’s not like I’ve been around either.”

He shrugged. “I felt like I should. I’m not playing games with you, sweetheart.”

And to his surprise an expression akin to sadness crossed her pretty face.

“I need to go,” she said, clearing her throat. “We’re supposed to decorate the tree tonight and Jess is already mad at me for being late.”

“Sure,” Ben replied, “I can run you home.”

Rey lifted her phone. “I’ve booked a car. The driver will be here in ten minutes.”

He cleared the table as she returned to his room to finish getting dressed, his thoughts confused. Was it just him or was she pulling away? He decided to find out.

Ben found Rey in the living room, once more in her sweater, tights and boots, jacket, gloves and hat in hand. She was staring at the bespoke shelves of books that lined his walls.

“Wow,” she said as he walked in, “your collection has certainly grown.”

He shrugged. “Reading is my favourite thing to do.” 

She bit her lip. “You’re the first person who didn’t make me feel like a freak for loving books more than Saturday morning cartoons.”

He stepped closer so she had to tilt her chin to look him in the face. “Rey?”

“Yes, Ben?”

“May I see you tomorrow?”

She hesitated and his gut twisted. He was a fool thinking a girl like her wanted a man like him. 

What was this then, this meeting of soul and body that had felt so perfect and effortless? He swore she’d felt it too. 

“I- we shouldn’t.”

“Why not?”

“I mean, I’m here to see Maz and spend time with her and…”

He held up his hand. “That’s fine. You don’t have to make excuses.”

“I’m not!” she exclaimed. “It’s just… Ben, I’m scared.” 

He stared at her as she stood there chewing her lower lip. “Of what?”

“You… and me. Us. Together.” She huffed, clutching her jacket tighter. “I’m usually more eloquent than this.”

But a spark of something… hope, longing, anticipation… had been birthed in Ben’s heart, the ice surrounding it cracked open to reveal a bleeding, beating organ. “I can take it slow,” he said. 

Rey rolled her eyes. “Right, because we moved at a snail’s pace this evening. I mean, we had a whole five minutes of conversation before we ended up in your bed.”

“Eight,” he countered, his lips curling upwards. This girl- she made him so happy. “At least eight minutes of conversation.”

“Kissing in your truck doesn’t count,” she pouted.

He laughed. “Course it does. We were using our mouths, weren’t we?”

And he kissed her again, fervent and sure. 

The bleat of a car horn made them jump apart and Rey shook her head at him. “You’re gonna be the end of me, Ben Solo.”

“I’ll pick you up tomorrow, same time and place,” he said, not taking no for an answer. 

She nodded. “Alright.”

“Give me a second to get my coat and I’ll walk you to the car.”

“You don’t have to…”

“What did I say?”

She turned pink. “Yes, Ben.”

And the rush of desire he felt in his bones was reflected back at him in her shimmering hazel eyes.

Ben headed to his room to find himself a jacket before he ravished Rey all over again. There was a lightness in his chest he hadn’t felt in a long time. Was this what it meant to be happy?

He shrugged on his coat and was about to turn off the lights when he caught a gleam of something shiny under his bed. He picked up the item and stared at it uncomprehendingly. He turned it over in his fingers, as if hoping the object would magically transform into something else.

“Ben?” Rey called from the living room, breaking the spell he was under.

He returned to her, his hand held by his side. “Do you know why I like to read, Rey?”

She saw the expression on his face and her smile faltered. 

He spoke slow and clear, his voice as hard as stone. “Reading always pulled me out of my real life, and let’s be honest, real life isn’t always kind. In my books I find a place to lose myself, to escape. It allows me to forget. When I read, I can imagine different endings and better worlds, because this place, right now, is not where I want to be.”

“What’s going on?” Rey asked.

He held out a clear plastic wallet in which lay a blue and white badge. “So you work for the government, huh?”

“Ben, I can explain…” she gasped, taking her ID from him with shaking fingers.

“Little did I know I was hosting Agent Rey Jackson in my home this evening,” he continued. “The FBI have done well recruiting you. Did they know you were so good at undercover work?”

“It’s not what you think,” she pleaded.

“And what am I thinking?” he spat, his temper burning so hot it felt corrosive. “What am I supposed to think when a girl from my past reappears in my life asking questions about how I paid for my truck and my house and my business?”

“Ben…”

He shook his head. “I must be the stupidest man in West Virginia. Was any of it real, Rey? Did you come expecting to sleep with me or was that spur of the moment? Whatever the case, you were real convincing.”

She turned as white as sheet. “It wasn’t an act,” she whispered. “Please, let me explain.”

The driver of the car honked his horn once more. 

“Saved by the bell, Rey,” Ben said. 

“No, we need to talk…”

“I don’t want to hear it.”

“Ben, please!”

Were those tears rolling down her cheeks? He didn’t care. 

“Get out of my house.”

She stumbled outside and he watched through a window to make sure she got in the car. Once it drove away, he collapsed on the couch in his living room.

That was what he got for opening up to people. 

He called Poe as soon as he was able to move and his brother came over at once. They sat in the kitchen with a bottle of whiskey between them.

“Damn,” Poe muttered at last, “that pretty little thing is an FBI agent?”

Ben nodded, allowing the alcohol to warm his insides. He felt cold from more than the weather.

“And you gave nothing away?” Poe queried for the sixth time.

“I told you all I said to her,” Ben replied impatiently. “You can’t make a Federal case out of acknowledging your house and truck are new.”

“Alright already,” Poe said, hastily refilling Ben’s mug. “You were right and I was wrong, is that what you want to hear? We should have all been keeping watch. Maybe we are cursed.”

Ben shook his head, trying to clear it of emotions so he could focus on the facts. “We got told that the FBI dropped the investigation because Speedway recovered the bags of cash. What the hell is she doing poking around now?”

“Just because Speedway stopped caring doesn’t mean the FBI did. Hux said the agents first assigned to the case questioned him pretty hard. Maybe they can’t believe a bunch of rednecks pulled one over on ‘em.” 

“Maybe,” Ben muttered. “With all that’s happening in the world, you’d think some missing cash from a multi-million dollar organisation would rank pretty low on the scale of things.”

Poe shifted in his seat. “You don’t suppose she’s here unofficially?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Now, hear me out. What if Rey-rey read the FBI’s file and realised she knew the men suspected of carrying out the Charlotte Motor Speedway robbery? And what if she decided to see what she could dig up? Any kind of information would make her look good to the bosses, I expect.”

Ben sighed. Poe had an uncanny knack for reading a situation. “Maz would be able to tell us if this is the first time Rey accepted an invitation to have Christmas with her. That’ll point us in the right direction. I mean, if Rey’s avoided coming back home all this time and then suddenly changed her mind, that probably means her motives have changed as well.”

Poe drained his mug in one long pull. “Or you could find out from Rey.”

“Oh, hell no,” Ben flared. “I take exception to that suggestion. Besides, we didn’t exactly end things on a happy note. I kinda kicked her out of my house.”

His brother said nothing for a minute, continuing to nurse his drink, and then asked, “Did you two do it?”

“Do what?” Ben snapped.

“Pitch a tent in your backyard. What d’you think? Did you two bump uglies or not?” Ben said nothing and Poe crowed. “You dirty dog, you!”

He rolled his eyes. “Shut up.”

“How was it?” 

“Are you for real?”

“I’ve never done it with an officer of the law.”

“Seriously, Poe, you could start an argument in an empty house.”

“What?” his older brother exclaimed in mock innocence. “I’m a curious sorta fella.”

“I’m not telling you anything, so quit hassling me!”

“Fine,” Poe grumbled. “You take the fun out of everything.”

“Is that right? Well, finding out the girl I hooked up with is a lying snake in the grass isn’t something I’m ready to laugh about just yet.” 

Poe lost his grin. “Hey, man, I’m proud of you for putting yourself out there.”

“What are you talking about?” Ben demanded. “I crashed and burned.”

“Ben, you can’t protect yourself from real life. Sometimes relationships suck and people are garbage- even the good ones. You think Rose and I don’t fight?” He sighed heavily. “I swear Dr Tico is gonna wake up one morning and realise she’s better off without me.”

“She is,” Ben mumbled, drawing a censorious look from his brother. “The funny thing is I’m not mad at Rey for being who she is. I mean, she was only doing her job. I just wish she hadn’t lied about it.”

Poe started drumming on the dining table and Ben stifled a groan. His brother was having big thoughts once more.

“You really like the girl, don’t you?”

Ben shrugged. “As mama used to say, you git what you git and don’t pitch a fit. Ain’t nothin’ I can do about who I am, and Rey’s certainly not gonna change who she is. It’s not like she and I were gonna be anything more than a casual hook up.”

Poe gazed at his bottle of whiskey as if it were a crystal ball. “You sure about that?”

“Hell, Poe, the girl came home at Christmas to carry out an investigation into a robbery that others have stopped caring about. That’s dedication for you.”

His older brother laughed. “I see what you’re saying.”

Both men leaned back in their seats.

“So what’re we gonna do about it?” Ben asked.

“We lie low, is all,” Poe replied. “Keep our traps shut and go about our business.”

“We gotta warn Kaydel.”

“I’ll call her,” Poe said, “and she can tell Hux. It’ll be better coming from her anyways. Anything I say tends to annoy the man, and he sure seems to dislike you.”

Ben stiffened in his chair. “Make sure Kaydel tells Hux to back off the situation. I don’t want him touching Rey.” Poe gave him a strange look and Ben glanced down at his boots. “She’ll probably be gone in a few days anyway, so long as this was a bit of unofficial snooping on her part.”

“And if it’s not?”

Ben scowled. “No one goes near the girl, you hear me?”

“Loud and clear,” Poe said with a twisted smile. “You know that’s not our style.” 

Ben drained his second mugful of whiskey, hoping it would help him sleep. “Damn Solo curse,” he muttered.

And for once, Poe didn’t argue with him about it.


	4. To The Place I Belong

Ben was closing down the bar when Rey walked in through the doors, as nervous as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.

It was Christmas eve and it showed. Everything from shopfronts to trees and streetlamps were festooned with twinkling lights. The home fires were burning and even a casual passerby could guess families were gathered around tables groaning with food and drink.

Rey suspected Ben would be working at the bar and sure enough he was. His clientele consisted mostly of older men, though a few couples drifted through the doors. Rey sat in her car until final call, not wanting any witnesses to what she had to do.

When at last Ben came outside to wish Snoke good night, Rey knew he was finishing up. The chain smoking old geezer was a fixture on the bar’s front porch and would only wander home when it became absolutely necessary.

Ben was wiping down the counter facing the entrance and saw her straight away. His back stiffened and he curled that beautiful mouth she still wanted to kiss.

“Hi, Ben,” she said, hating how nervous she sounded. Was she or was she not a trained federal agent? 

“We’re closed,” he said coldly.

She began chewing her lower lip and then made herself stop through sheer force of will. “I know. I’m not here for that. I just… I couldn’t leave things the way we ended it last night.”

He screwed up his face but said nothing, which she decided was better than the alternative.

“Could we talk, please?”

“Another interrogation, Rey?” he demanded, amber eyes dark in the shadowed room. He’d already turned off most of the lights.

She winced at his words. “I guess I deserved that,” she muttered, stepping up to the bar. “What I really should have said is may _I_ talk? You don’t have to speak a word if you’re concerned I might use it against you, though I promise I won’t.”

Ben tossed the rag into a bucket and crossed his arms over his chest as if to say ‘proceed’.

Rey placed her handbag on the clean counter and perched on a barstool. Her knees felt unsteady.

“Last night… the things you said… you were only partly right.” 

He cocked an eyebrow at her, his sculpted face as hard as marble. She fought the urge to run. She’d done this to him and now she needed to fix it as best she could.

“I did come home because I saw an opportunity to break a case wide open,” she confessed. “One of the agents in my office overheard me saying I was from Valley View. They told me about this strange unsolvable robbery that took place at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. I had a look at the file and couldn’t believe my eyes when I recognised every person of interest who’d been interviewed. I mean, it was you guys!”

Ben snorted softly and she faltered in her tale. “You must have thought you won hillbilly bingo,” he said, his tone like acid.

She swallowed hard, trying to compose herself. “There wasn’t any evidence connecting you to the crime, just innuendo and supposition. You- you don’t have anything to worry about.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he responded flatly, and there was no mistaking the anger beneath the surface of his emotionless visage.

Rey closed her eyes briefly and opened them again before she continued. “I was headed to a beach somewhere with a couple of girlfriends for the holidays like I always do when Maz called, asking for the umpteenth year in a row if I would come home for Christmas.”

“So you said yes,” Ben filled in the gap. “I hope for your sake Maz never finds out the real reason why you decided to visit.”

“She knows,” Rey gasped, at last disrupting his cold fury. 

He stared at her in surprise. “Why would you tell Maz?”

“I was upset when I returned to her place last night,” Rey said, determined to explain even if meant her humiliation. “Maz being Maz, she demanded to know what happened. She thought maybe you’d done something to hurt me and I couldn’t have her thinking that, so I told her everything. She knew I’d joined the FBI, of course, but the rest of it was new.” 

Ben groaned. “Great, just what my family needs, gossip following us for the rest of our lives.”

Rey reached out to touch his arm but withdrew before she connected. “I swore Maz to secrecy, told her she couldn’t repeat anything I’d said because it would jeopardise my job. Maz will keep her mouth zipped, I promise. She’s good that way.” 

Ben nodded. “I trust Maz.” And by the tone of his statement she knew he meant as opposed to her.

“Ben, I’m an idiot,” Rey said, breathless. “I didn’t have a plan when I came here, just a vague idea of how I’d get one of you talking and maybe you’d slip up and say something incriminating, but then…”

“What?” he asked gruffly as she faltered.

“Then I saw you and it was like I was eight years old all over again, crushing on the older boy who lived next door, the one I could never have, not in my wildest dreams. Except this time, you saw me as more than a child and I- I didn’t know what to do.” She buried her face in her hands, trying to stop the flow of tears.

“I want to believe you, Rey, I really do,” Ben spoke, his voice more sad than upset. “Why did you lie to me?”

“Don’t you get it?” she whispered, lifting wet eyes. “Ben, you’re my favourite fairy tale come to life. You’re my Wonderland and Narnia and Middle-earth. The idea that I could be with you on a date made me forget everything else, including the reason why I’d come home at all.”

His amber gaze searched her face for several long minutes. “Then why ask me all those questions about the house and my truck?”

She sighed. “I didn’t know what else to talk about.”

“And the morning after we…” Rey blushed crimson but Ben continued undeterred, “You nearly fell out the bed making sure I didn’t see your gun or badge.”

She knew her awkward behaviour would come up. “That wasn’t why I stopped you touching my handbag.”

He frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

She reached for her bag and opened it up, slowly laying items on the counter; a wallet, her badge, a fold up umbrella, a packet of mints, a tube of lipbalm, her gun and finally…

“Is that what I think it is?” Ben asked, his voice turned hoarse.

In her hands was a faded copy of Lewis Carroll’s _Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,_ the spine neatly taped together.

“You gave this to me over fifteen years ago,” Rey said in a small voice. “It’s still the nicest gift I’ve ever received. You were the first man who treated me right.”

“Sweetheart…” He sounded at a loss.

She cringed, not wanting his pity. She needed to wrap this up, preserve what scrap of dignity she had left.

“I hope you know I never meant to hurt you,” she said, her voice turned high pitched and squeaky. “Last night was the best thing that’s happened to me in years. I wish you well, Ben, and I- I won’t bother you anymore.”

Rey repacked her handbag with shaking fingers, keeping her eyes on the task at hand, not wanting to look Ben in the face. Now that he knew how pathetic she really was he wouldn’t want anything to do with her.

She heard footsteps and looked up to see him come around the front of the bar. She froze in fear and then remembered who she was with. Ben Solo would never hurt her. Still, he kept coming and she didn’t know how to react when he wrapped his arms around her waist. 

He kissed her slow and sweet, holding her with care. The tension in her chest uncoiled, the weight on her heart releasing. She curled her arms up around his shoulders and felt warm muscles under his red flannel shirt. She breathed with him, allowing the invasion of her mouth, the stroking of his tongue and the brush of his lips. He was such a good kisser and she was melting into him all over again.

Ben brought his head up, though he still held her against himself. “Rey Jackson,” he almost groaned, “what are you doing to me, girl?”

She stood on her tiptoes, trying to reclaim his mouth. Instead, she only managed little pecks along the line of his jaw and down his throat. She should have worn heels.

“Wait,” Ben muttered. “Rey, what is this? What do you want?”

“You,” she panted, hands latching on to the front of his shirt, “if you’ll have me.”

“Why?” he demanded, looking her in the eyes. “Look at you, sweetheart. You deserve better.”

His words brought a sting of tears to her eyes. “No, Ben, no… I deserve you. A man who’s good and kind and smart…”

“Come on, Rey, let’s be honest. Why haven’t you been back all these years?”

“It wasn’t about Maz or you or the people here,” she replied with a sad smile. “It was about me. I was unloved and unwanted for so long that even this place, where I finally found a home and family, felt like a mistake. I’ve been trying to build a life that has nothing to do with my roots and that’s on me.”

He nodded, not quite looking at her though she knew he’d absorbed her words. “Remember what I said to you by the river?” he asked. “I told you then it wasn’t a bad thing you wanting to better yourself. I stand by my words, even if it means you’ve joined the FBI.”

She laughed. “I remember. But you also asked whether I was happy, and I realised the answer was no, not until I saw you that morning at the diner.”

“Yeah?” he chuckled. “I felt it too.”

“We can make this work,” she said, pleading her case. “I’m only a three hour drive away and I can visit on weekends and we can spend holidays together. We’ll talk every night on the phone…”

“Will you send me sexy pictures of yourself?” he interrupted.

She blushed at the unexpectedness of this. “As long as I get ones of you.”

Ben sighed deeply and she felt the shift of his firm chest beneath her touch. “What about my past, Rey? I can’t change what I’ve done.”

She shrugged. “My boyfriend is a former United States Marine who now owns a bar. That’s all anyone needs to know.”

“Boyfriend, huh?” Ben teased.

Rey felt the breath catch in her throat. After all she’d said to this man, how could something so innocuous make her feel so vulnerable?

She stood watching him with big hazel eyes, chewing her lower lip reflexively. “Is that okay?”

He kissed her once more, his plush mouth softening. “I like the sound of it.”

Rey took Ben by the hand and led him deeper inside the room. The bar was surprisingly spacious, the chairs already put away, placed upside down atop tables, the floors mopped clean. It pleased her to know he took pride in his business.

“Where are we going?” he asked bemusedly, just as she pushed him down onto the padded seat of a booth.

Her hand brushed over his chest, drifted down his stomach and across his hip. She saw him hold his breath, felt him get hard in a rush, his erection pushing against worn denim.

She moved closer, her breasts caressing his ribs, her hands rubbing on his thighs. She unzipped his blue jeans and reached inside, pushing past the soft cotton of boxers and taking him into her hand.

He groaned, arching his back. Her fingers were steady as she stroked him. He reached for her instinctively, craving what she was offering, but she stopped him. Sliding to her knees, she whispered, "This time is for you." Rey was determined to pleasure this man, pushing up his shirt and kissing his ribbed belly. "When we were together last night, you were very... generous. You deserve the same kind of treatment."

"You don't have to do this," he said hoarsely.

Rey stood up, positioned between his legs. She shrugged off her jacket and sweater, peeling off the blouse underneath to reveal pert breasts. She wiggled quickly out of her jeans and lace panties, then leant over and kissed his cheek. "Relax. Let me be in control."

Ben stared up at her in disbelief and breathless anticipation. Oh, she liked the look on his face.

"I want to do you," Rey whispered, falling back on her knees.

In a silky rush, her tongue lapped at his belly button. She raked her nails gently across his thighs. Tested his hip bones with her teeth. He grunted as she teased. The second she took his erection into her mouth, he nearly came. He cried out, body spasming. She pulled back, gave him time to settle.

And then she put him through torture.

She knew just when to bring it on, just when to pause. The combination of her wet mouth at his thick tip and her hands moving up and down his shaft was a one-two punch he could barely withstand. She brought him to the brink over and over again until he was reduced to wordless utterances.

Finally, she straddled his hips and hovered above him. He looked down between their bodies. Her creamy thighs were wide open over his swollen, throbbing erection, and he moaned.

"Now," he commanded.

She didn’t argue, sliding him inside of her, and his whole body felt the sensation. Tight, wet, hot, she enveloped him. She began to move in a slow, pumping rhythm, and he didn't last long. When he came, it was with a cry that was half pain and half pleasure.

Rey smiled in the darkness at the sound Ben made as his body rocked under hers. The force of his orgasm took her over the edge, and she fell onto his heaving chest as delicious waves stole her breath.

Afraid that she was too heavy, she made a move to get off him, but he stopped her, holding on to her hips.

"Stay where you are," he murmured.

She settled onto his body, relaxing completely.

“So,” he drawled as soon as he’d caught his breath, “what’re you up to tomorrow?”

She giggled into the side of his neck. “Christmas lunch cooked by Maz.” She paused. “Did you wanna come along?”

Ben looked at her, amber eyes glowing. “Are you kidding? Maz’s food on Christmas day would be like twice the celebration.” 

Rey shifted on his lap to get comfortable and he muttered an oath. “You keep talking like that and Maz will never let you leave.”

“You interested in attending a Solo family Christmas afterwards?” Ben asked. “It’s one way for us to let everyone know we’re together.”

She beamed at him. “Okay.”

He returned her smile. “This is crazy. I’m gonna have to re-think that family curse.”

“What curse?” she frowned.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast,” Rey declared, quoting her precious book.

“It certainly feels like I’ve tumbled down a rabbit hole,” Ben agreed, kissing her once more.

Rey Jackson tightened her hold on Ben Solo and decided she didn’t care what she faced- family reunions, ancient curses or the upside down logic of Wonderland- so long as she was with this man. She’d come looking for proof of a crime and instead unearthed her own beating heart. It was the best kind of Christmas miracle.

**Author's Note:**

>  _Logan Lucky_ has best been described (within the movie itself) as Ocean’s 7-11, a heist film that’s surprisingly funny and incredibly charming. It wasn’t what I expected, so it took me a second to realise I freaking loved it. I mean, casting Adam Driver, Channing Tatum and Daniel Craig together and asking them to speak with southern drawls? OMG. My favourite scene is the one where Clyde Logan sets a car on fire- enough said.
> 
> This fic is my ode to this wonderful movie. I can’t imagine I captured a fraction of its wit and humour, but I did want to give Ben/Clyde Logan his happy ending. My apologies if I butchered their southern speak- I hoped to honour it without getting too folksy. 
> 
> My title and chapter headings come from that beloved John Denver song featured so beautifully in the movie.
> 
> Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone! Xoxo


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